Apple and Beet Matchstick Salad

It’s been a really hot summer so far, but whose complaining? I would take summer any day over the almost six months long Canadian winter! Summer in Canada is synonymous with being outdoors – camping and hiking, barbecues and patios, salads and cocktails! What’s better on a hot summer day than a quick, easy to fix salad, to beat the heat? This really simple, apple and beetroot salad, spiced with mint and a lemon vinaigrette is so refreshing and is a perfect side for your grilled chicken! I paired this with some yumm Cumin spiced chicken. Recipe for the chicken is on the blog now!

Beetroot and apple salad with grilled cumin spiced chicken

I call it a Matchstick salad, because I slice the apples and beetroots thin and long, like matchsticks.

Apple and beet matchstick salad

The apples add a nice sweetness and the beets add an earthiness to the otherwise tangy salad and the mint renders it a refreshing burst of flavor! Mint has plenty of health benefits apart from being able to add zing to a drink or meal! Adding some crumbled feta is optional. Feta gives it that savory flavor that some people prefer (to the sweetness of the beetroot and apple). I like mine both ways! I also like to marinate the sliced beetroot in lemon juice for a couple of hours, so they get to soak in the flavor of the lemon! Here’s the recipe:

Apple and Beetroot Matchstick salad

Prep Time: 1 hour

Serves: 2

Beetroot and apple summer salad with lemon vinaigrette

Ingredients:

Apple: 1 – medium (Sliced like matchsticks)

Beetroot: 1 – medium (Sliced like matchsticks)

Lemon juice: 3 tablespoons

Salt: 1/4 teaspoon

Crushed black pepper: To taste

Feta (Optional): 1/4 cup (Crumbled)

Pecans (Optional): 1/8 cup (Roughly chopped)

Fresh Mint: 1/4 cup (Chopped)

Apple and beetroot salad with a minty lemon vinaigrette

Instructions:

Marinate the sliced beetroot in 1 tablespoon lemon juice and a pinch of salt and refrigerate for an hour.